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Plano Plumber Offers Services In Good Faith

PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) – A Collin County plumber has found a greater purpose for his work and is letting his profits go down the drain.

Curtis Masters is an experienced repairman who’s been operating his own business for more than 15 years.

But whe the 63-year-old finishes the job he hands customers a letter instead of a bill. It says he doesn’t charge a set fee for his services, and that “God wants me to bless you with the gift of my labors.” He simply asks that customers pay what they can.

The devout Christian started the practice after a mission trip with his chuch.

“The Lord planted it in my heart seven years before I was able to tell him yes. I’ve given the letter to people and they’ve just literally broke down crying,” says Masters.

Masters’ work seems to be in constant demand as he travels to appointment after appointment without any advertising.

“I was fortunate enough to find out about him from a neighbor,” says Judith Daniel.

Masters estimates that he has as many as 3000 customers.

“My husband is facing a possible layoff,” said customer Heather Holba. “I think a lot of families are in that position right now. We pay him what he asks and I know if there’s a day when we can’t he’ll come back and help us.”

“Being a single mom it’s kind of hard sometimes so I tried to be as fair as I could with him,” says Vicki Masten.

Masters says he once accepted puppy for payment and has walked away from expensive repair work with little or no money.

“I’ve been to jobs where I felt, well, maybe they could have afforded more,” he said. “But I don’t know, maybe they were looking at foreclosure. Everybody needs a toilet to flush.”

In these tough times. Masters is making life easier for families even with three children of his own.

He may not get rich from his business.

But to him, the reward is priceless.

“If you are following God’s will he’s going to take care of you,” says Masters.

J.D. is an award-winning reporter who has been covering North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996. He began his career in Longview and also worked as a reporter in Johnson City, Tennessee and Tulsa, Oklahoma. But he's a native Texan who was born in Dall...